Read: Zephaniah 3:14-20
He will rejoice over you with gladness. (v. 17)
For much of my life, I was self-conscious about my musical ability and my singing voice. Then my girls were born, and I started singing all the time. I sang to soothe them to sleep when they were babies, to distract them when they were toddlers, to amuse and entertain them when they were old enough to appreciate my made-up, silly songs. I rejoiced over my children with singing.
The prophet Zephaniah’s job was mostly to warn the nation of Israel. After centuries of disrespect for God’s ways and disregard for God’s prophets, God’s people were about to face the music. Much of Zephaniah’s message in today’s passage is devoted to God’s displeasure. But then, at the very end, he pivots to delight. This rebellious people is still God’s people and the King is in their midst (v. 15). Their unfaithfulness is no match for God’s faithfulness. God will redeem his beloved people. God will rejoice over them with singing (v. 17).
My children are grown. They’re not the adorable babies and toddlers I sang over all those years ago. My relationship with them hasn’t always been easy, but they’ve never stopped being my children, and I’ve never stopped delighting in them. If I wasn’t convinced that it would embarrass them, I’d still rejoice over them with singing. Through Jesus Christ, God made a way for anyone to become his child. If you have faith in Jesus, it doesn’t matter how old you get or how far you stray. You’ll never stop being God’s child, and he’ll never stop rejoicing over you.
As you pray, picture the Father’s joy over you.
Ben Van Arragon is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. After twenty years of congregational ministry, he now serves his denomination as a pastor wellbeing consultant in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
